The Stats That Don’t Suck (as Bad) - Week 16: Lloyd v. Marshall

TJ JohnsonDec 28, 2010 12:00 PM

It's been several weeks since we brought you our weekly summary of Broncos-related stats.

There was a good reason--week after week there was nothing novel about the Broncos sucking wind. The numbers were terrible, and the only question that remained after Week 8 was whether or not the team would rank last in each and every defensive category. Snipers were beginning to assemble on rooftops.

Since the season is coming to an end, we thought it high time to at least give our readers what they deserve: more crappy Broncos stats.

On the bright side, it will be a 20-minute distraction from your daily ritual of wondering who the Broncos will draft.

Broncos' Offense Through Week 16

Team

Yards / Game

Yards / Play

Rushing Yards / Game

Rushing Yards / Play

Passing Yards / Game

Passing Yards / Play

Interception Rate

Sacks / Pass Attempt

DEN

349.7

5.52

93.2

3.79

256.5

7.07

1.84%

6.80%

NFL

337.6

5.35

114.5

4.21

223

6.61

2.96%

6.45%

Differences

12.1

0.17

-21.3

-0.42

33.5

0.46

-1.12%

0.35%

Rank

12

11

28

26

7

8

5

18

Team

First Downs / Game

Punt Return Avg

Kickoff Return Avg

3rd Down Pct

4th Down Pct

Red Zone Pct

Goal to Go%

Points / Game

DEN

19.4

10.4

22.8

32.12%

31.25%

53.06%

85.00%

21.1

NFL

19

9.6

22.5

38.36%

50.22%

52.71%

70.64%

22.3

Differences

0.4

0.8

0.3

-6.24%

-18.97%

0.35%

14.36%

-1.2

Rank

15

13

15

29

30

13

1

21

What do these stats tell us? I'll leave you to interpret what you can from them. I am pleasantly surprised to find that the Broncos rank so highly in goal-to-go situations. I was also glad to see that Eric Decker as a kickoff returner has yielded some fruit.

After looking at the Broncos' 3rd-down percentage, you may wonder who could possibly be worse on 3rd downs than Denver. Only Carolina (30th), Washington (31st), and Arizona (32nd) are worse. Coincidentally, all of these teams are looking for a long-term answer at quarterback.

Broncos' Defense Through Week 16

Team

Yards / Game

Yards / Play

Rushing Yards / Game

Rushing Yards / Play

Passing Yards / Game

Passing Yards / Play

Interception Rate

Sacks / Pass Attempt

DEN

387.1

5.91

153.9

4.62

233.1

7.52

1.94%

3.87%

NFL

337.6

5.35

114.5

4.21

223

6.61

2.96%

6.45%

Differences

49.5

0.56

39.4

0.41

10.1

0.91

-1.02%

-2.58%

Rank

31

28

31

28

25

30

31

32

Team

First Downs / Game

Punt Return Avg

Kickoff Return Avg

3rd Down Pct

4th Down Pct

Red Zone Pct

Goal to Go%

Points / Game

DEN

20.9

9.7

24.2

38.22%

60.00%

63.27%

75.00%

29.2

NFL

19

9.6

22.5

38.36%

50.22%

52.71%

70.64%

22.3

Differences

1.9

0.1

1.7

-0.14%

9.78%

10.56%

4.36%

6.9

Rank

27

20

25

16

23

28

19

32

All of these stats are brutish, I'd say. The Broncos rank next to last in interception rate and sacks per pass attempt. These two stats alone tell you everything you need to know about the Broncos' season.

Turnovers, Penalties, & Field Position

Team

Penalty Yards/Game

Opponent's Penalty Yards/Game

Turnover Margin

Average Starting Field Position

Opponent's Avg. Starting Field Position

DEN

59.9

59.3

-8

27.53

32.01

NFL (Median)

49.5

49.5

0 (AVG)

30.04

30.04

Differences

-10.4

-9.8

-8

2.51

-1.97

Rank

26

6

27

30

27

As we've written previously, penalties usually have a way of balancing out. It's too bad one can't say the same about turnovers and field position, two stats in which the Broncos have been poor.

A Few Non-Tradition Stats That Make You Smile Like Brandon Marshall's Agent

And you thought there weren't any stats to be happy about. Lloyd leads Marshall in almost every meaningful rate stat except catch rate; who cares when your expected value per play is almost a half point.

Looks like the Dolphins traded for the wrong Brandon. That's fine with the Broncos. They will keep their Brandon and the draft picks.

Now, just who was it that fleeced the Dolphins? Josh McDaniels or Brian Xanders? Inquiring minds want to know.

Related

The Stats don&#8217t lie. I think the Delay of Game and the Offensive Holding calls are the worst (besides McBean&#8217s discipline problem) Nice take on things Dude

Posted by KaptainKirk on 2011-01-01 00:43:09

The call on Hill against the Jets was a facemask PI penalty. Does that count as PI or facemask - or both?

Thanks, TJ, for crunching the numbers. I didn&#8217t have the heart to examine them very thoroughly. We know the defense needs some additions.

Some of those penalties come from guys simply not playing together very much and being a little unsure of where they need to be in space, ie, a developing OL, for example.

Posted by BlackKnight on 2010-12-29 07:11:27

@ Joe: All except for the one called on KnoMo. The very first facemask ever called on a RB!

Posted by c_style on 2010-12-28 21:53:36

Thanks TJ. We all knew it was bad, but seeing the numbers really hurts. I hope whoever runs our draft sees that our problems are deepest on defensive.

Posted by azdenfan on 2010-12-28 20:57:08

So it looks like I guessed right.

The &#8216roughing&#8217 calls do seem high on that list; I wonder if that is league wide, due to the Rule Enforcement?

The defensive P.I. is just a killer (Jets).

I would love nothing more for the Broncos than consistency in the coaching staff. I think that would help to reduce our penalty yardage as well.

Posted by RalphW on 2010-12-28 19:37:22

Are all those face mask penalties on Ryan Mcbean?

Posted by Joe Howard on 2010-12-28 19:31:37

Ralph, for the Broncos this year, here is how it breaks down:

1) Offensive Holding

2) False Starts

3) Roughing Calls

4) Defensive Pass Interference

5) Delay of Game

6) Facemask

7) Illegal Block

8) Defensive Offside

9) Illegal Formation

10) Offensive Pass Interference

Might do a whole piece on this. The amount of roughing calls is interesting. That&#8217s high it seems.

Posted by TJ Johnson on 2010-12-28 19:27:12

We are 1st in &#8220Goal to go!&#8221

I looked at the recent traditional stats (yards & TD&#8217s) recently for BMarsh vs. Lloyd, Gaffney, royal. ALL of our guys were close if not exceeding BMarsh. Amazing how this is never pointed out by the DP writers/ hacks.

So in keeping with the &#8220Dude&#8217s 5&#8221 - Offensive 3rd downs is poor, but we have improved in the RZ.

On D, 3rd downs and especially RZ defense has continued to be an issue, and lastly, turn-over margin is poor. I am not sure if we are turning the ball over more than other teams, but &#8220take-a-ways&#8221 are few and far between.

Another random thought: our lack of pressure, which can be correlated to lack of turn-overs, but also, lack of penalties (vs. opponent). What are the most predominant penalties in the course of a game? I would guess (offensive) holding and false-starts. Those are things caused directly by defenses that create QB pressure; which we are lacking.

Great read as always. too bad we knew what the stats were most of the year, so looking at them each week was totally unnecessary.